Speaking to journalists before his departure for New York on Saturday, President Donald Trump said he would "certainly" invite Zelensky if the Ukrainian president wanted to come.
"I would certainly say I'd invite him. I would love to have him come to the White House if he'd like to come, and I think he'd like to come", the President said.
President Trump also said that more information would be released shortly about Alexander Vindman, the US official who told Congress he was concerned that Trump's call with Ukraine's leader threatened national security.
Vindman, a US Army lieutenant colonel and National Security Council official, has been targeted by Trump since his 29 October congressional testimony was released. Trump tweeted that day that Vindman was a "Never Trumper witness".
Supposedly, according to the Corrupt Media, the Ukraine call “concerned” today’s Never Trumper witness. Was he on the same call that I was? Can’t be possible! Please ask him to read the Transcript of the call. Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2019
Asked whether he regrets calling the Vindman a "Never Trumper", Trump told reporters, "Well, you'll be seeing very soon what comes out and then you can ask the question in a different way".
Vindman sat in on the 25 July call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that spurred the House of Representatives' impeachment investigation. A whistleblower (who has refused to reveal his identity) claimed that Trump allegedly pressed Zelensky to investigate potential corruption by former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Earlier this week, Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he wanted to read out loud to the citizens of the United States the transcript of his telephone conversations with Zelensky.
The transcript has already been released after approval was received from Ukraine.
It also turned out later that the knowledge the whistleblower provided was something they ''heard from somebody else'', relying on unproven second-hand or even third-hand information.
